Although viruses are not a new thing, they seem to be happening more often in recent history. It doesn’t seem that long ago that we went through the Sars scare. However, until another one appears, we seem to forget about the previous one. That is unless you or a family member has been adversely affected by one. Certainly, there are seniors today who have not forgotten when they got the poliovirus, and how it left them in a wheelchair or some other way that changed their life forever. Some having symptoms reappear later in life often worse than the original. This condition is referred to as post-polio syndrome.
It’s hard for kids to realize how dangerous some of these viruses can be and like two characters in my book, Grounded, don’t always heed the warnings of their parents. Such was the case with Billy and Marie. You will need to read and find out what happened as a result.
I chose to write about poliovirus because of personal experience. However, since Dr. Salk and his team developed a vaccine to protect us from getting polio, few remember or have even heard of polio But at one time, it was a virus that the world feared. No wonder parents threatened their children as they were petrified that they would contact the virus.
The story takes place during an era of political unrest when segregation and discrimination are happening. It is also a time when inventions such as the telephone, the iron lung and The Candyland Board game are invented. Maybe you played this game as a kid. Do you know who created it, why and where it was created? This kind of fun trivia and much more is part of the comprehensive activity book I created to go with the novel. Find out more by going to my website at www.authorsmhartung.com